How is a person really "saved"

[MadeAFace]

I am trying to do some research on the viewpoints of different Christian denominations and I would like to hear from many of you your views on what one must do to be “saved”. I would love to hear mostly from different Christian denominations but other religions are welcome too. Please don’t use the vague terms “accept Jesus as your personal saviour” and “have a relationship with Jesus” I want to know in your own words exactly what those things mean.

 

[MadeAFace]

also please state your denomination (or non denomination).

 

[bisco]

one must love God, with all their heart, all their soul, all their mind, and all their strength. and their neighbor as themself.

 

[Kellyreneeomara]

I believe that to be saved is to accept Christ as your Lord and Savior. To adore Him daily in your life and to the best of your ability example Him in word, thought and deed. And do not put anything or anyone before Him; love and treat others as yourself. Never forget the selfish sacrifice" in which He gave His life" and shed His precious blood so that we all have the opportunity for eternal life ~* Episcopal Church

 

[PaulfromIowa]

The Catechism of the Catholic Church on Grace and Justification:

scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s1c3a2.htm

 

[ltwin]

I’m an evangelical, Pentecostal Christian.

The first thing that must be realized is that a person cannot come to salvation unless they be drawn by the Holy Spirit. In John 16:8-11, Jesus states:

8 And when he [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict [or convince] the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Therefore, the first element of salvation has to do with the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit, who empowers the believers to proclaim the gospel. Paul writes that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). When the gospel is proclaimed, faith comes by the power of the Holy Spirit, who has already prepared a person to receive the word of Christ.

In Hebrews 11:1, we are given a definition of “faith.” It is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The man who is saved has assurance that Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh and conviction that Christ did die on the Cross for the forgiveness of his sins and the reconciliation of himself to God the Father; that Jesus did rise from the dead and sits on the right hand of the Father making intercession for us and that just as Christ rose those who are saved will also rise in Resurrection as well.

As Paul explains in Romans 10:9-13:

if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

The one who is saved, then, is the one who has realized that Jesus Christ is the only hope. Salvation lies in the revelation that Jesus is the only Way, Truth, and Life. Total dependence on Christ as the Way to Truth and Life will mean that a person turns to Christ constantly for forgiveness of their sin and transformation of heart and life. As the person looks to Christ, there will be a true conversion.

 

[GaryTaylor]

The man who is saved has assurance that Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh and conviction that Christ did die on the Cross for the forgiveness of his sins

I’m slightly confused here, maybe you were typing too fast? Could be confusion over the incarnation and nature of Christ. Creation and the Incarnation are intimately connected and become an imperative understanding to know who “He” is. His Holy Family who most definitely were convicted by the Holy Spirit. And being that this is true then it is also true they intercede for us through the Holy Spirit, just as those convicted by the Holy Spirit do for each other.

 

[PRmerger]

I’m an evangelical, Pentecostal Christian.

The first thing that must be realized is that a person cannot come to salvation unless they be drawn by the Holy Spirit. In John 16:8-11, Jesus states:

Therefore, the first element of salvation has to do with the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit, who empowers the believers to proclaim the gospel. Paul writes that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). When the gospel is proclaimed, faith comes by the power of the Holy Spirit, who has already prepared a person to receive the word of Christ.

In Hebrews 11:1, we are given a definition of “faith.” It is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The man who is saved has assurance that Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh and conviction that Christ did die on the Cross for the forgiveness of his sins and the reconciliation of himself to God the Father; that Jesus did rise from the dead and sits on the right hand of the Father making intercession for us and that just as Christ rose those who are saved will also rise in Resurrection as well.

As Paul explains in Romans 10:9-13:

The one who is saved, then, is the one who has realized that Jesus Christ is the only hope. Salvation lies in the revelation that Jesus is the only Way, Truth, and Life. Total dependence on Christ as the Way to Truth and Life will mean that a person turns to Christ constantly for forgiveness of their sin and transformation of heart and life. As the person looks to Christ, there will be a true conversion.

Amen! Very Catholic, this!

 

[ltwin]

I’m slightly confused here, maybe you were typing too fast? Could be confusion over the incarnation and nature of Christ. Creation and the Incarnation are intimately connected and become an imperative understanding to know who “He” is. His Holy Family who most definitely were convicted by the Holy Spirit. And being that this is true then it is also true they intercede for us through the Holy Spirit, just as those convicted by the Holy Spirit do for each other.

Could you be more specific about what you find confusing about my comment? I don’t think we are on the same page. I agree that believers can pray for one another. Not really sure how this contradicts anything I wrote above.

 

[GaryTaylor]

Could you be more specific about what you find confusing about my comment? I don’t think we are on the same page. I agree that believers can pray for one another. Not really sure how this contradicts anything I wrote above.

OK since you asked brother. How have you been anyway, you sound wonderful. And I agree, what I think though perhaps some day is a dialogue with Evangelicals-Pentecostal and really orthodoxy in general around the Incarnation would be insightful. I was reading an Evangelical web sight which was suggesting the same with Catholics. I just think there’s a disconnect in that area, also which at the same time as PR was saying, the Cross is just beautiful.

 

[ltwin]

OK since you asked brother. How have you been anyway, you sound wonderful. And I agree, what I think though perhaps some day is a dialogue with Evangelicals-Pentecostal and really orthodoxy in general around the Incarnation would be insightful. I was reading an Evangelical web sight which was suggesting the same with Catholics. I just think there’s a disconnect in that area, also which at the same time as PR was saying, the Cross is just beautiful.

I"m still not really understanding the specific objection. Not trying to argue, I would just like to know where you think the disconnect is.

On the topic of dialogue, you may be interested in the documents of the Joint International Commission for Catholic–Pentecostal Dialogue.

 

[GaryTaylor]

I"m still not really understanding the specific objection. Not trying to argue, I would just like to know where you think the disconnect is.

On the topic of dialogue, you may be interested in the documents of the Joint International Commission for Catholic–Pentecostal Dialogue.

I was thinking Timothy George, I’ll show you a link. Not the same article but similar. I’ll read your link, thanks.

google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDwQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.firstthings.com%2Farticle%2F2007%2F02%2Fevangelicals-and-the-mother-of-god&ei=VMh0VNewNIX0oASZzID4Dw&usg=AFQjCNFBdVAR7qkrMRg8ajLxdxjnf5XA_Q

 

[ltwin]

I was thinking Timothy George, I’ll show you a link. Not the same article but similar. I’ll read your link, thanks.

google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDwQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.firstthings.com%2Farticle%2F2007%2F02%2Fevangelicals-and-the-mother-of-god&ei=VMh0VNewNIX0oASZzID4Dw&usg=AFQjCNFBdVAR7qkrMRg8ajLxdxjnf5XA_Q

Ok. When you said incarnation, I was thinking about Christology rather than Mariology. Teaching on Mary is one place where we do disagree.

 

[benjohnson]

your views on what one must do to be “saved”.

I’m a confused Lutheran, so take my opinion as my own.

I would disagree with the premise of question in that I would say that co-operate(or even fight against) God’s promises of salvation. That, while we are to work on our salvation in fear and trembling, the task is never completed by us. The task is fishined for us the Cross.

The concrete steps in respond to God’s granting us faith would transform us if we were capable of actually following them - we’d tend to the poor, we’d live in fellowship with Christ’s adopted children, we’d love our enemies and hate our own pride. We would go and sin no more.

I would say that these actions would be a response to God’s mercy and not the other way around.

 

[GaryTaylor]

Ok. When you said incarnation, I was thinking about Christology rather than Mariology. Teaching on Mary is one place where we do disagree.

Ah, I knew it was there, I thought Mariology is Christology.

google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDsQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.st-benedict.org%2FArticles%2Fmariology.htm&ei=ntZ0VIGKBcPzoASV8oHoDQ&usg=AFQjCNFNja5MfoPDq1ySmfy3EnVG5dC_Xg

What a mystical period…Advent, the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus, God of the living, and the incarnate Church of the living where there is no death.

Peace

 

[cheese_sdc]

Straight from the horse’s mouth. From Matthew 25:

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

 

[Servant19]

I am trying to do some research on the viewpoints of different Christian denominations and I would like to hear from many of you your views on what one must do to be “saved”. I would love to hear mostly from different Christian denominations but other religions are welcome too. Please don’t use the vague terms “accept Jesus as your personal saviour” and “have a relationship with Jesus” I want to know in your own words exactly what those things mean.

Baha’u’llah states:

O SON OF SPIRIT! My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting.

and:

O YE PEOPLE THAT HAVE MINDS TO KNOW AND EARS TO HEAR! The first call of the Beloved is this: O mystic nightingale! Abide not but in the rose-garden of the spirit. O messenger of the Solomon of love! Seek thou no shelter except in the Sheba of the well-beloved, and O immortal phoenix! dwell not save on the mount of faithfulness. Therein is thy habitation, if on the wings of thy soul thou soarest to the realm of the infinite and seekest to attain thy goal.

As human beings, we are like a mirror made in the IMAGE of God.
If we are to be an effective mirror, one must do two things:

1. Ensure the surface of the mirror is polished and clean, and
2. Ensure the mirror is in the light (if it is positioned in a dark place, there is nothing to see)

The mirror is polished by possessing a “pure, kindly and radiant heart” (God’s first counsel)

The mirror is immersed in light by us “abiding… in the rose-garden of the spirit” (God’s first call)

Together they offer salvation.



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[drac16]

A person is saved by faith and good deeds. Faith is belief in

-Allah as a single person who is unlike His creation (aka ‘tawheed’)
-The angels
-Predestination
-Heaven and Hell [as literal places],
-The books of revelation (the Qur’an, the Gospel, the Torah, etc.)
-The prophets
-Judgment Day

The good deeds include, but are not limited to

-The Shahada (this is how a person is converted. Bearing witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger)
-Daily prayer
-Hajj (a pilgrimage to Mecca)
-Fasting during Ramadan
-Giving to charity

That is Islam in a nutshell. That’s what I believe is necessary to be saved.

 

[rinnie]

I am trying to do some research on the viewpoints of different Christian denominations and I would like to hear from many of you your views on what one must do to be “saved”. I would love to hear mostly from different Christian denominations but other religions are welcome too. Please don’t use the vague terms “accept Jesus as your personal saviour” and “have a relationship with Jesus” I want to know in your own words exactly what those things mean.

The first thing you must do is pray for the Holy Spirit to enter into your heart. Then as this happens, and its usually a lifetime progress, you become closer and closer to God. It is with his help you have the power to listen to his voice and follow his truth to get you through life.

The voice surprises you more and more as you listen to what God tells you in your soul what is the right thing to do, you follow it and do it. It is always being selfless and you feel you are putting others first and yourself last.

This is when the miracles of God happens, you end up with the real gift, the knowing in your heart you made someone cry, with tears of Joy and happiness.

It is then you realize you have received the true Joy and Happiness of life, and you learn, money, things, etc mean nothing. Only God and his love and all you want to do is help others, and someone make their day easier and better.

It is when you want to do this for EVERYONE, strangers, people who hate you, love you, it does not matter. That’s when you know that it is not a personal relationship with Christ, it is a heart joined to the heart of Christ that becomes one. That’s when you find true happiness in life, and stress and troubles seem to disappear, because you just trust God that much, and you can truly turn your troubles over to him, and your heart is full of trust and knowing, its the knowing God is taking care of you and your troubles, and anxiety that are your proof.

You can’t teach this, show this, you just know this is possible, because its truly real, It Works, God Works, Today, tomorrow, and forever.

Its the knowing Good times and Bad!

 

[Servant19]

A person is saved by faith and good deeds. Faith is belief in

-Allah as a single person who is unlike His creation (aka ‘tawheed’)
-The angels
-Predestination
-Heaven and Hell [as literal places],
-The books of revelation (the Qur’an, the Gospel, the Torah, etc.)
-The prophets
-Judgment Day

The good deeds include, but are not limited to

-The Shahada (this is how a person is converted. Bearing witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger)
-Daily prayer
-Hajj (a pilgrimage to Mecca)
-Fasting during Ramadan
-Giving to charity

That is Islam in a nutshell. That’s what I believe is necessary to be saved.

Isn’t it amazing how alike all religions are on the conceptual frameworks around which salvation is based?



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